Speed Of Sound
by Alex Beckett
Summary: Aurora's biggest regret is that she let Mulan go after the announcement about joining Robin Hood's band and now, even after she and Phillip are no more, she cannot get Mulan out of her head. So even now, when her realm is facing a new threat and stands on the edge of destruction, there's only one thing she can think of - reuniting with her True Love to tell her how she feels.
1. Poison And Wine

**I don't anything or anyone, accept for what or whom I make up. All else belongs to Mister Kitsis and Mister Horowitz.**

* * *

Aurora couldn't take it anymore. She was truly miserable without Mulan.

Not a day had gone by since the last time she'd seen her best friend and ever since, she had deeply regretted not waiting even an extra minute before sharing the news of her pregnancy she had later come to realize that the warrior had had news - other than joining Robin Hood's band - to share with her.

But now Aurora would never know.

That was all four months ago, and in the mean time, more was happening on the home front.

For starters, she and Phillip were growing apart. She'd been betrothed to him for literally her entire life until recently, and to be honest, they'd only kept the charade of an engagement up to please their parents, but they'd all since passed away while Aurora had been under the sleeping curse, three from old age, one from grief, although the latter was a private matter. What this finally meant was that she and Phillip were finally free to do as they pleased.

The child growing in Aurora's womb had not at all been forgotten about because the princess was hopelessly in love with it and very excited to be a mother. On the other hand, Phillip was reluctant to assume the role of being a father because he was not at all already to be one.

Instead, he yearned for adventure and the open road. Being a husband and father while wearing a crown and running a kingdom with Aurora were not on his agenda. He'd also seen how Aurora and Mulan had always looked at each other in the most intimate way that one looks at their True Love, and Phillip didn't want to stand in the way of that. So Aurora had been torn up when Phillip had informed her of his thoughts, including how she should go find her happiness with Mulan before it was too late, but she still provided him with a horse and provisions for his travels because she wasn't that coldhearted.

At the moment, the overall pressing matter was that the ogres were invading Aurora's realm, having already worked their way in from the neighboring Avonlea border. Not possessing the knowledge of how to run things, especially during times like this, Aurora was leaving everything in the hands of her war council.

One thing mattered to her, and one thing only - telling her best friend exactly that she loved her and that there was nobody else that she'd rather spend the rest of her life with.

All Aurora had to do was track Mulan down.

* * *

"Won't you let me come with you?" Aurora's faithful governess Clara was following her around the stable as she oversaw the final preparations for her quest. "Who's going to look after you now that you're with child?"

Aurora stopped for a minute and touched a hand to the swell in her midsection, smiling when she felt the baby wiggle around inside her. No matter how trying the times were, just the thought of her impending motherhood cheered her up.  
But when she saw the old woman, her heart filled with sadness.

"Oh, sweet Clara, I know you want to come with me, but I promise you that I'll be safe."

"Because you have your best knights with you, but Your Majesty, I've helped raise you since the day you were born! I can't help but worry..."

Clara had indeed been around for the first sixteen years of Aurora's life so far, taking care of her and teaching her the ways of the world because her parents had been more busy with politics than their only child. Leaving Clara in the castle was going to be harder than she'd care to admit.

"I will be fine, and so will my child."

"Even with the wretched ogres roaming about?"

"Even then. My knights are loyal to me and will protect me at all costs."

"What about this Mulan? She's from a far off land, is she not?"

"Indeed."

"But where, though? Clearly not Neverland, but what about Wonderland? Or Oz?"

Aurora shook her head. "Mulan is from China, across the Great Sea."

"What an interesting name for a land. China..."

"Mulan doesn't like to talk about it, so I have never pried."

Clara changed the subject. "If she returns your feelings, will you please bring her back here so that I may welcome her to the family properly?"

"Of course!"

"If you followed your heart to this moment and you known your heart belongs with Mulan's heart, go ahead and go, but there is a question I must ask of you."

"What is it?"

"Is Mulan _really_ worth leaving this place when the whole realm is on the edge of all-out war?"

"Mulan is my girl worth fighting for."

Before the governess could respond, one of Aurora's many stablehands called over to her. "The horses and carriage are all ready, Your Highness, as is your company of knights. You may depart when ready."

Aurora nodded in acknowledgement then turned back to Clara who immediately began smoothing out the wrinkles in the princess' dress and cloak, a last-minute attempt to keep her just a little longer.

"Be safe."

"I will be, and I'll be back before you know it."

Aurora allowed herself to give Clara one more hug before crossing the stable and boarding her carriage.

The young princess was a lot braver than most people gave her credit for or even knew - her adventures with Emma and Snow were nothing to sneeze at - but as she rode away from her home, her sanctuary, she felt as though she was on a voyage into the unknown.

In a way, she was. The only clue she had as to where Mulan could be with Robin Hood and his Merry Men was Sherwood Forest, and it sounded far away.

But like Aurora had told Clara - Mulan was her girl worth fighting for.

Just how was Aurora to know that this was going to be the very last time she'd see her castle intact, and all of its inhabitants alive?

* * *

**More?**


	2. Fear Will Find You

They travelled for over a day without really knowing the direction they needed, and along the way, Aurora discovered that a bumpy ride in a carriage for hours on end wasn't boding well with her current condition. The only thing that could really distract her was her own thoughts.

However, those all concerned Mulan and their possible future together. In her heart, she knew that True Love conquered all, but if Mulan didn't want her because of the pregnancy, then there was no coming back from that. The princess couldn't live with out the warrior, but the baby still came first.

Those thoughts became too hard to bear, so she looked out of the window only to see her once glorious and powerful realm falling to waste thanks to the local ogre population being driven out of their territory due to a recent bout of brushfires.

The further they went, the more death, mass graves and ruined villages they ecountered. As the reigning royal, Aurora knew that her people would look to her for answers and guidance, but so far, she was failing them.

All she really wanted to do was escape with Mulan and the baby to the land that Emma, Mary Margaret and Neal all hailed from.

What was it called, again?

Storybrooke?

* * *

"Oof!"

The carriage had come to a sudden halt, causing Aurora to slide to the floor and as she dusted herself off and checked on the baby, she heard the shouts of her men as they engaged in combat with what sounded like an angry mob.

Next thing she knew, the carriage door was being yanked open and one of her knights, no older than herself, was pulling her with him into the forest.

"Langston, what's happening?" Aurora panted when they stopped to catch their breath, hidden from the main road. "Who has attacked us?"

"Peasants, from the look of it, princess. Not everybody is pleased by your progress - or lackthereof - as far as the ogre population is concerned."

Normally, Aurora would scold the young knight for speaking so frankly to her, but she just let it go.

"I am well aware that things are slow going, thank you very much, but running a dying realm is difficult. How could anybody know that I was even gone, unless..."

Dawning comprehension hit Aurora, and she forced herself to take deep breaths.

"Unless they were already on the way to the palace to assassinate me? Oh, my gods..."

"You must stay here and out of sight." Langston urged her. "I will come back for you."

The second the young man was gone, Aurora made camp in a bush alcove and settled in to wait. There was no doubt that fear was beginning to grip her insides as the distant sounds of the fight caught her attention, but she was distracted when she felt her child move inside her. In quiet tones because she didn't to get caught, she spoke words of comfort and reassurance to her little son or daughter.

"I'm so very sorry that things are going this way. Everything will be okay soon because Langston will come back and protect us. All we have to do right now is wait."

The fight went long than Aurora expected, but when an abrupt silence fell, a chill creeped through her veins and she just knew that the fight hadn't ended in her people's favor. The chill grew when she heard snapping twigs and unfamiliar voices nearby.

"Where did that wench vanish to?" came one voice. "I saw her heading in this direction with one of her knights!"

"Let's just keep looking." a second voice growled. "This way."

To Aurora's horror, a breeze blew a cloud of pollen off a nearby wildflower bed and spread through the air causing Aurora to let out a string of unctrollable sneezes. The two peasants heard her, spotted her and hauled her to her feet, refusing to let go and only tightening their holds when she tried to escape.

"Let me go!" Aurora ordered. "I am the princess, and you have no right to do this to me!"

"Then why, Your Majesty," demanded the first peasant. "Are you out on the road when you should be fixing the ogre issue? Did you know that whole villages, mine included, have been burned to the ground or wiped out by those creatures of the devil?"

Aurora felt her stomach churn, although she wasn't sure if it was due to the baby or the newest development.

"Please let me go!" she tried again. "I'm pregnant!"

The second peasant leered at her and started running his free hand in places too intimate for Aurora's comfort. She shut down almost immediately, trying to comprehend that she was being touched in such a manner against her will and that the man's companion was actually joining in. They pushed back her cloak and pulled down her sleeves, but the first peasant was way stronger than the second one pulled her close to him so that her back was to his front and then laughed as Aurora squirmed at the feeling of something long and hard poking her lower back.

Just when Aurora thought things couldn't get any worse, the man pulled out a knife and held the blade to her throat, teasing her with it.

"So you're with child, are you? One swift slice of this blade, and both you and your heir to the throne will be gone for good, leaving the control of the realm up to the people who will be glad to run it the way it should be run!"

Aurora's tears became real now, but she thought that if she stayed put, it would all end quickly.

Suddenly, both of her assaultors fell away - an arrow had come whizzing through the air, missing them all narrowly and landing in the trunk of a tree just three feet to the right. A booming voice called out from behind them.

"LEAVE HER ALONE, OR I WILL FIRE CLOSER THAN THE TREE!"

Both peasants took off running faster than Aurora knew that anybody could move. When they were gone, all of her emotions came crashing down at once and she began crying over what had almost happened while struggling to make herself look decent in front of a stranger.

Speaking of whom, when he crouched down in front of her, Aurora was taken aback when to see that he had the same complexion as Mulan - coppery skin, a round face and set of ears with and elongated nose and almond-shaped brown eyes. His trousers and shoes had clearly seen better days and his body was covered in different battle scars, old and new alike, including a fresh one on his uper left arm. If he had a shirt, it was nowhere to be seen, but when Aurora spotted the quiver of bows on his back and the bow beside him on the ground, she felt safer already.

"Those two men are gone. Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"No, but thank you."

"Will you at least tell me your name? I apologize for not knowing, but I'm not even from this land."

"I accept your apology, kind sir. My name is Aurora, and I am princess over this realm."

The newcomer seemed a few years older than her, but the kindless in his eyes made him appear timeless.

"Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty." even in his position, he still managed a bow of respect for her. "My name is Wu Shang."


	3. All Along The Watchtower

After Aurora took care of the cut on Shang's arm, the two of them returned to the site of the battle to find that everybody, knights and peasants alike, were all dead.

"The killing here," Aurora's words came with tears in her eyes. "Happened because they don't like the way I'm running the realm? It's harder than it looks, what with the ogres roaming about, but it certainly wasn't worth any of this."

Shang wondered briefly what an ogre was, but realized that it was more important to explain to Aurora the real reason he'd traveled across the Great Sea to begin with. At the same moment he opened his mouth to begin the conversation, the sudden sound of breaking twigs reached his ears and he rushed in front the princess with his bow and arrow drawn.

Protecting her was his main perogative because needed some way to atone for the sins that had caused him to leave China.

"Who's there?" he called.

"Please don't hurt me!"

Langston came stumbling into view, still dressed in his armor and helmet. If anything, he appeared winded, so Shang moved aside and Aurora ran forward.

"What happened?"

"The peasants came out of nowhere, and one of them must have hit me because the last thing I remember is crawling away and fading out until just now."

"I see..."

"I'm sorry I didn't come back for you." Langston tacked on hastily. "Punish me as you will, princess."

Aurora decided to show him some compassion.

"There is no need for that because every now and then, self-preservation is above all. On the other hand, this makes you the last of my knights."

"It does, doesn't it?"

"Yes, and because of that, you may return home or continue on with me. The choice is yours."

"I am alone because my village was destroyed by a large brush fire, and then those who hadn't burned starved due to the following famine that happened while you were in the Long Sleep. Everyone I've ever loved is gone."

Langston shifted his weight from one foot to the other, nervous.

"It is my duty to serve you and any of your kin until you no longer need me or if I should die, whichever comes first. I would like to continue on with you as your bodyguard, but I should inform you of something first."

"What might that be?"

"To begin with," sighed the knight, pulling off his helmet. "Langston is not my name."

Aurora suddenly felt a strong sense of déjà vu - Langston was not a man, but a woman.

Feeling taken aback, it was another moment before Aurora let herself remember that Mulan had also disguised herself as a man when it had been necessary and that she'd even made it work. This wouldn't be any different.

"You're a woman." Shang stated the obvious with contempt. "If we were back in my land-"

"But we aren't." Aurora said sharply. "We're in mine - in _my_ realm - and as long as I'm alive, you will not say things like that to me or my knight."

Shang realized that the princess was putting him in his place and he apologized, proceeding to go foraging for supplies. Although Aurora was grateful to Shang for saving her life, she was still the princess and commanded a certain amount of respect, even from the foreigners. Aurora also knew that as the ruler, it was acceptable for her to defend what she wanted and to scold anyone who disagreed.

"What is your real name, then?" Aurora asked the knight.

"Lavinia." she bowed respectfully. "Lavinia of Westgate."

Aurora looked at her with renewed interest. They were both eye-level with each other, but Lavinia had a fit body and incredibly beautiful dark-colored skin to go with it, although it was hewn from various battle scars. Her eyes were a deep hazel, and her hair, despite being done up in a bun, was extremely curly and so dark that it was almost black.

Lavinia looked nice enough, but Aurora could see that she was really struggling to keep her guard up. She clearly wanted to be herself, and perhaps it was the budding maternal instinct in her, but Aurora felt her heart soften up.

"Please relax, Lavinia."

She obeyed. "Y-you aren't angry with me?"

"No, no I'm not."

"Any other Royal would have me beheaded..."

"Well, I'm not like most of them because I've had my fair share of fights and adventures now. Some time ago, I met someone who helped me see the world a little differently." she thought fleetingly of Mulan. "I accept your proposal to be my bodyguard, but in return and the playing field is different now, I wish to extend you a proper invitation of friendship, and you may even call me Aurora."

"I've never had a friend before... thank you, Aurora."

The princess grinned and beckoned for Lavinia to follow her down the path while Shang brought up the rear with the supplies and the horse he'd managed to find. They'd have to continue the rest of their quest on foot because the carriage had been completely destroyed, but that was a small price to pay.

"Lavinia, why did you think it was necessary to disguise yourself as a man to become part of the royal army?"

"Before I was orphaned, my parents told me to do whatever it took to make a better life for myself. I wanted to belong somewhere, so I disguised myself and used my combat skills to earn my way in because the rest of the options were bleak."

"Nobody suspected you?"

"Not once because I kept to myself. I wouldn't have been taken seriously, at any rate, because I'm only sixteen."

"As am I. When did you get to my palace?"

"Just as you and you and Prince Phillip were restoring it. Only one person figured out my secret."

"Who was that?"

"Your governess, Clara. I asked her not to report me and she promised she wouldn't, but she _did_ she ask me to hold onto something for you."

"Do tell."

"I cannot give it to you until the time is right, and I never go back on my word."

Aurora capitulated and began tracking her baby's movements with her hands as it moved around inside her.

"Now I wish that you had revealed yourself to me earlier."

"Even though I couldn't have know that to be a safe move?"

"I would've accepted you as my lady in waiting, and you'd be safe and happy and healthy. I would've provided you with proper fitting clothes and shoes, plus you'd have your own room, good food on your plate and even a roof over your head. If you'd wanted an education, I would've seen to it that you had a proper one like I had."

"You are too kind, but what's in the past is in the past. All we can do is keep going."

"I agree."

"What do you want to do now?"

Aurora's answer was immediate. "I need to return to the palace."

Truth be told, she wanted to check on Clara.

"Then that's what we shall do."

Predictably, Shang cut in front of the girls with the horse, blocking their path.

"Step aside!" Aurora demanded.

"Your own people just tried to murder you, Your Majesty!" he protested. "What if there are more of your people are waiting at your palace? What is one bodyguard against a whole mob? What if your home is destroyed or burning, even as we speak?"

In the blink of an eye, Aurora had drawn Lavinia's large sword from its sheath and was holding it to Shang's throat.

"What do you know? Why are you proposing such ideas?"

"I don't know anything, I swear!" he held his hands in surrender, still managing to hold onto the horse's reigns as the beast grew nervous. "I'm just looking out for you! Is that so wrong?"

"It is if your intention is to turn me over to the mobs, and it's even more wrong if you're staying with Lavinia and myself because we're not even proper adults yet, and you are!"

When Shang didn't answer straight away, Aurora pressed the sword a little closer to his jugular. Lavinia realized that if the princess continued, she'd slit Shang's throat and have his blood on her hands, both literally and figuratively, so she stepped in between them, using herself as a barrier. She spoke first to Aurora.

"Stop this! He clearly has something important to say or he wouldn't have even followed us this far, would he? Aurora, you could kill him!"

She realized that Lavinia had a point and sobered up, returning the sword and backing off as Lavinia glared at Shang.

"Why are you still here?"

"I am on a quest of my own, you see, but I need assistance."

"What's your quest?"

"To find my wife, so I can bring her home. The last I heard, she was in this land. Perhaps one of you knows her?"

A sinking feeling hit Aurora, robbing her of her ability speak, and in noticing this, Lavinia moved closer to catch her, just in case she fell, but kept one hand on the hilt of her sword as a warning as she continued to interrogate Shang.

"What's your wife's name?"

"Mulan."

"That doesn't ring a bell with me. What about with you, Aurora?"

The woman in question didn't answer straight away because she was processing too many emotions at once - hurt, confusion, shock, anger and betrayal.

_Married?_ Her Mulan, the one she loved and was risking everything for, was _married?_

Why in the world hadn't she mentioned this before? Why had she led Aurora on?

Was she, Aurora, now chasing a fool's dream? Was she on a fool's errand?

But... why _had_ Mulan left China?

Was she on the run? What could a strong, brave and honorable woman such as herself could've possibly done that she'd felt it necessary to flee her home land and her own husband?

It all became too much for Aurora, and the next thing she knew, everything was dark.


	4. Two Steps Back, One Step Forward

"Aurora?" Lavinia patted her cheek. "Talk to me. Are you alright?"

The princess jumped, realizing she'd spaced out but accepted her bodyguard's help to stand up.

"I'm fine." Aurora smiled at her. "Thank you, Lavinia."

At this time, Shang dismounted the horse and approached Aurora. "Do you know Mulan?"

"Quite well. Mulan is my best friend, and I owe her much. We were on her way to look for her before the attack."

"If she's your best friend, then why would you let her go?"

A most excellent question, Aurora thought.

"Those reasons are my own, but we are going to continue looking for her. My question to you, Shang, if she is _your_ wife, why did _you_ let her go?"

"Also for reasons of my own. I just need to find her."

"Then come with us."

Shang was taken aback by the invitation, mostly because he wasn't used to women being in authority, much less one ten or twelve years his junior, no doubt the same age as his wife.

"Thank you, your highness." He glanced up at the sky, noticing the sunset. "Shall we take care of the dead from the battle?"

"Yes, and then we will set up camp for night. In the morning, we will journey back to the palace."

Shang nearly protested at this, but quickly thought better of it when he realized that Aurora was the only key to finding his wife.

"Of course."

* * *

When they set up camp for the night a few hours later, an awful sense of dread had filled Aurora, causing her to nearly lose her appetite. Shang had wandered off to make use of a nearby stream they'd heard, leaving Lavinia to coax Aurora into eating some of the rabbit stew she'd made.

"I know it isn't the greatest, but at least try some."

Aurora deflected the offer. "What about you? When will you eat?"

"Later, but you need to keep your strength up for your child; he or she is depending on you."

"H-how did you know?"

"I had an older sister and a younger one, as well a younger brother. The village midwife was my mother, and she was training me to be her apprentice because she was the only midwife in Westgate. I know a pregnant woman when I see one, and might I add that you're thinking like a mother already!"

Aurora blushed and then blurted out a question. "What were your siblings' names? I'm an only child, so I know noting of big families."

"My older sister was named Jade because she had the greenest eyes that one ever saw, and my younger sister was called Evelyn."

"What was your brother's name?"

"Abram."

"You said once that your family is dead. I am sorry for that."

Lavinia smiled sadly. "The officials that came through Westgate during the famine to do a census count have presumed that Jade, Abe and Evvie are dead."

"But what? You don't think they are?"

"Correct. They vanished together during the famine, while I was away in a nearby village helping to deliver a child, but until someone tells me otherwise, I will believe they're all still alive. Saying that they're dead is a bad habit I should break, especially because Jade knows how to survive in the wild. I just wouldn't know where they'd be."

Aurora felt her heart soften as Lavinia nearly came undone, so she patted her knee comfortingly. "We will look for Jade, Abram and Evelyn after we find Mulan, and when we do find them, they shall come back with you, Mulan and I to the palace; there's more than enough space for all of us. How old were your siblings when last you saw them?"

"Twenty-two, ten and two. They've been gone for about a year, and all four of us were born while you were asleep."

This disconcerted Aurora slightly because sometimes she forgot that she hadn't aged a day while she'd been under the sleeping curse. In reality, she should be closer to forty.

"I will see to it that they all get proper care and education just as I will see to for you."

"Thank you so very much; your full title should really be Princess Aurora the Benevolent because you are so kind and generous."

Aurora was about to comment that she hadn't been that way until she met Mulan, Emma and Snow, but instead her stomach gave an audible rumble and she could feel the baby start to protest from lack of food.

Lavinia waited until her companion was halfway through her bowl of soup before speaking again.

"You have romantic feelings for Mulan, don't you?"

Aurora nearly spat out the soup. "How did you know _that?"_

"I'm more observant than people give me credit for." Lavinia winked. "Is what I said about you and Mulan true?"

"Yes, but I'm still trying to figure out why she never told me that she's married, or why she left her home across the Great Sea in the first place." Aurora sat her bowl of soup on the ground and massaged her temples. "And of course, having Shang here seriously complicates matters, but we will not speak of any of this when he is within earshot."

"Agreed. Your secret will be safe with me."

"Thank you, Lavinia. Thank you."

* * *

After a day of backtracking, the trio made it back onto the road leading to Aurora's palace around the late afternoon. Shang walked ahead slightly and Aurora was riding on the horse, whom she'd named Honor, and Lavinia was walking beside her, holding onto the horse's reigns.

The closer they got, the more tension Aurora felt.

* * *

"Stop the horse, please."

Lavinia did as she was told and looked up at Aurora. "What's wrong?"

"We're nearly there, and I'd like to walk the rest of the way. Please help me down."

Lavinia followed that order, too, and as they walked on, she and Shang began to also realize that something was amiss. Handing Honor's reigns to Aurora, the knight drew her sword and followed Shang, who already had his bow prepped with an arrow and was rounding the corner to the palace drawbridge. Aurora hung back with Honor, but that didn't last long because she couldn't take not knowing anymore.

Going around the corner proved to be a huge mistake.

Her palace, her home, everything she'd known for her entire sixteen years, was in ruins. Just like Shang had ominously foretold, a riot had happened and her own people had torn the place apart when they couldn't find her.

But it wasn't until they entered the palace courtyard and saw the small fires and dead bodies that she began to scream.

Lavinia held Aurora in her arms when she fell to the ground, cradling her and whisper-begging her to be quiet so they could move out of the open as quickly as possible. Shang went into the inner halls to check for survivors.

The only reason Aurora broke away was to empty the contents of her stomach into a nearby potted plant, after which Lavinia was finally able to pull her into a nearby doorway.

"Talk to me." She held Aurora's hands in hers. "Give my hands a squeeze if you can hear me."

She was rewarded with a near bone-crushing grip, but when Aurora spoke, her voice was quiet and small.

"The peasants couldn't find me here, so they attacked my caravan and killed everyone besides us? Why would anyone do that, and why did they have to torch the palace and kill my staff? I would have come willingly!"

"I-"

Lavinia's words were cut off when a sudden thought hit Aurora and she scrambled to her feet.

"We need to find Clara!"

"Where might she be?"

"The nursery; she was helping me plan it!"

"Lead the way."

When they entered the nursery, Aurora felt her heart drop even further because it seemed that the rioters had taken extra care to burn and destroy everything because all of the furniture, shelving, clothes and toys that had been so lovingly prepared were all beyond recognition. Even the stone walls looked like someone had taken a battering ram to them. In that instant, Aurora completely understood how Snow had felt when she saw the destroyed remains of Emma's old nursery for the first time.

It was as if all hope had just evaporated into thin air.

No, Aurora scolded herself, you still have hope because you carry it within you. Literally.

"We're going to be alright, little one." She spoke softly to her baby bump, resting a hand on it. "Just you watch."

"Aurora," called Lavinia. "I found Clara."

"What? Where?"

She tried to go look, but Lavinia intercepted her and forcibly turned her body towards the door.

"Let me see her!' Aurora protested. "Let me see her now!"

Lavinia became stern. "That would not be advisable. I barely recognized her, Your Majesty."

Aurora almost went limp when she heard this, but once again, she let Lavinia guide her away from the disaster sight. Coming to stand near a window, Aurora held the other girl's hands again.

"We need to leave this place. It is no longer safe."

"I agree. Looters will no doubt come back when it gets darker."

"And I will not stop them."

"Excuse me? This palace is your home, was your _parents' _home! Why will you not defend it?"

"Because I want _none_ of this, Lavinia! I just want to find Mulan and your siblings and leave this land for a better, more prosperous one!"

"And where will we go? I may be your bodyguard and I will follow you to the end because I serve you, the reigning Royal over this realm, but what about the rest of your subjects? You can't just leave them!"

Aurora threw her hands up in exasperation. "I look around at my realm - at the poverty, the barren fields, the burned out villages that we can't afford to restore and all of the mass graves, and I know that even if I do stay behind to negotiate peace, that would be hard because my entire court was thoughtlessly slaughtered and because nobody is going to want to listen to me any long when I am the subject of assassination plots. Getting out of this land is about giving my child a refuge. It's about offering you, Jade, Abram and Evelyn a refuge, too, because there's nothing left for any of us. You all are my family now and I want to make sure that everything turns out for the best."

"I'm eternally grateful for your kindness, but how are we going to bring Jade, Abram and Evelyn with us to this new land you keep going on about if we don't know where they are, and how is Mulan going to come when she's _married_ to _Shang?"_

"I have not thought of that yet, but the sooner we gather fresh supplies and horses, the sooner we can leave."

Lavinia looked around. "Which way to the kitchens and the pantries?"

Aurora turned around and began descending the huge stone staircase. "This way."

A half hour later found them laying out their findings on a counter and discussed how best to pack them when the kitchen door swung open. Aurora grabbed a nearby pan as a weapon and Lavinia's hand fell to the hilt of her sword. The newcomer turned out to be Shang, who quickly held his hands up in surrender.

"Whoa - it's just me."

"We can't be too careful." snapped Lavinia. "Announce yourself next time."

Aurora intervened quickly. "Did you find any survivors?"

"No, but I did notice that the miscreants that ran through here left your horses alone."

"Well, that's a small bit of relief, I suppose..."

Her words died off because none of them really knew just what to do in that particular moment. That's why all three of them nearly jumped out of their skins when a little dark-skinned girl, dressed in rags and barefoot with dirt smudged in her face wandered in, sat down on the floor and burst into exhausted tears.

Aurora responded first by sitting the child on her hip and wiping her tears and caressing her little face.

"You're alright little one, you're safe now."

Apparently, the toddler was too sleepy to keep crying because she just nodded and rested her head on Aurora's shoulder, throwing her arms around her neck.

A split second later, a young boy of about ten or twelve with a similar complexion and state of dress hurried in and saw Aurora first. He assessed the situation and then called over his shoulder towards the doorway.

"It's okay, I found her!"

When he turned back, he saw Lavinia and just lit up.

"Livvie! Livvie, you're here, you're here!"

He ran to her and threw his arms around Lavinia's waist in a hug. She hugged him back joyfully and breathed his name.

"Abram."


	5. Anything Could Happen

**Anybody out there?**

* * *

It was clear what was happening - a family reunion.

The boy hugging Lavinia was her little brother, Abram, which meant the child now asleep in Aurora's arms was Evelyn. Only one sibling was missing.

No sooner had that thought crossed Aurora's mind when the kitchen door swung open yet again and a girl entered. She was older than Aurora, but had the same chocolate-colored skin as Lavinia, Abram and Evelyn. Her long brown hair was done up in a braid to keep it out of her eyes, and like the other two, not much good could have been said about the conditions of her clothes and shoes, but her eyes were sharp and very...

"Jade. Are you Jade?"

The other girl nodded, eyeing the princess warily. In an effort to gain her trust, Aurora eased Evelyn into Jade's arms.

"Take her. She'll be more comfortable if she wakes up with someone she knows."

Jade took she sister and settled her on her hip before addressing Aurora. "Are we in trouble?"

"Not in the least." She smiled kindly at her. "I suggest you turn around, though."

Curious, Jade did as she was told and quickly spotted Abram still standing by the kitchen table with Lavinia. Jade was beside herself with joy and for a few moments, she, Lavinia and Abram were swept up in their own little world. Evelyn slept through the whole thing.

Eventually, their conversation went from English to a language that Aurora didn't recognize, but from what she could guess through tone and body language, Lavinia was trying to convince Jade of something, and Jade had suddenly caught up with her common sense and was becoming apprehensive of Aurora.

On the other hand, Abram was growing impatient, so he broke away from the girls and made his way over to Aurora.

"Princess," he bowed to her out of politeness. "My sisters and I haven't eaten for over a day, and I know that breaking and entering - especially into a castle - is very bad form, but we're just so hungry."

Aurora gave Abram's shoulder a reassuring pat and gave him an empty flour sack from a nearby pile. "You and your sisters are welcome to as much as you can put in the sack, but you must be quick about it."

"Because we don't want the looters to find us when they come back."

"Yes, exactly." She nodded to a passageway behind him. "The cellars are that way, Abram, and you're welcome to help yourself."

"Thank you!"

"In case there's danger, Shang will go with you."

When the two were gone, Aurora went back to the table in the middle of the room to see Jade perched on a stool with Evelyn curled up against her. Lavinia was putting the food they'd found earlier into more of the empty flour sacks and conversing with her sister in that mysterious, intriguing language again.

"What language is that?" Aurora asked. "I don't recognize it."

"It's Afrikaans." Lavinia told her. "Our ancestors used it when they traveled across the Great Sea and settled in this land."

"What country did they come from?"

"South Africa."

Jade cleared her throat. "Lavinia just explained to me that you are on a quest to find the warrior Mulan. I didn't press for the details because they aren't my business, but Lavinia did mention that Shang is Mulan's husband. If that's the case and they're from another land, why were they separated in the first place?"

"I've been asking myself that same question."

"Well, as it would happen, we saw Mulan a week or so ago with Robin Hood and his Merry Men."

Aurora's heart leapt. "Where were they? Is Mulan alright?"

Jade raised an eyebrow, still skeptic. "First tell me why I should trust you."

"Only if you tell me why you're so wary of me."

"I was born while you were asleep, and I grew up watching this land fall to waste while your mother and father ignored their subjects and devoted their waking moments to trying to wake you up, Your Highness. As a kingdom, we suffered greatly because of their selfishness. My childhood was also full of stories of the queen and king consorting with Malificent the Sorceress, who is rumored to have had a hand in the curse that has ravaged the rest of the land surrounding this one. You are the child of Queen Briar Rose, the 'Sleeping Beauty' as she was once called, and King Stefan, and often times, children turn out like their parents."

"The sins of the parent do not define the child, and I am nothing like my parents were." Aurora patiently explained. "I am not cold-hearted and selfish like they were because I believe in peace and goodness, and that love conquers all, but right now, my kingdom has fallen further to waste and I know that the longer I stay here, the more attempts will be placed on my life."

"Lavinia mentioned that your carriage was ambushed..."

"And because of that, I've decided to leave this land once and for all. The destination is a better one where we will all be safe."

"I beg your pardon? _'We'?"_

"I invited Lavinia not only because she's my bodyguard now, but also because she's my friend and when I found out about you, Abram and Evelyn, I decided to include you three, as well."

"What is this new land called?"

"Storybrooke."

"What an odd name." Jade remarked. "Why do you want to go to Storybrooke when you have a whole realm right here?"

"Because the parts of it that haven't already fallen to waste and died are in steady decline. Staying here to fix it would be foolish, and I know when something isn't worth pursuing or trying to make work anymore."

"How will the voyage to Storybrooke be made?"

"I do not know, but the deadline is before my child is born."

Jade was taken aback. "You're with child?"

Aurora nodded and patted her baby bump. "I am, and I understand the need as well you do to protect the ones you love the most. Do you and your siblings have any family left here?"

"No, and we're running out of places to find food and shelter because there is unrest amongst the peasants."

"Then come with us."

"Alright, we will." Jade finally gave in, realizing it would be foolish to turn down an opportunity that would never come again. "When last we saw Mulan and everybody, they were on the outskirts of Sherwood Forest, helping a village get back on its feet after they'd fallen victim to a peasant riot. There is no promise that they're still there, but I know how to get to that village from this place."

"Will you lead us?"

"Yes, but I would like to leave as quickly as possible in the morning."

"Then that's what we shall do."

Finally done packing the food, Lavinia spoke up. "Aurora, is there somewhere that we will all be able to stay hidden until dawn? It's getting dark outside and the looters will no doubt return again soon."

"There is a hidden alcove in my bedroom that was designed for emergencies like this. It will hold all of us."

"Most excellent."

"My bedroom also has a whole closet full of spare clothes and other such things because when we had visitors, it was my job to make sure that they had proper fitting clothes and shoes if they needed them."

Lavinia regarded her with curiosity. "That sounds like servant work."

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Alright, then we won't. Show us where your bedroom is when Shang and Abram return."

* * *

About an hour later, they'd made themselves a little home of sorts inside Aurora's extra room, using pillows and animal furs they'd found in storage. Jade was in the middle of the room with Abram and the now-awake Evelyn, feasting on the fools they'd found. Shang was in the corner, having his own meal.

Lavinia, meanwhile, knelt down in front of Aurora and set a lit lamp between them.

"Do you remember how I told you that I have a letter for you from Clara?"

Aurora nodded. "You said you couldn't give it to me until the time is right."

Lavinia reached into her satchel and removed a folded up piece of parchment, putting it into Aurora's hands.

"It's finally time to give it to you. I don't know what it says, but if you need anything, I'll be with my brother and sisters."

Aurora thanked her and immediately turned her attention back to the parchment.

What could be so important that it had to be put into a letter that was not to be read until now?

Only one way to find out.

With slightly trembling fingers, Aurora unfolded the parchment and began to read.


	6. All I Ever Wanted

_'_My_ dearest Aurora,' _the letter read. _'If you're reading this letter, then that means I am no longer alive, and you've met Lavinia. Times may be dark, but you can trust her._

_Child, I have something to tell you._

_A month before you fell under the curse, your kind mother, Briar Rose, told me that she was with child. When your parents learned a little later that from a fortune teller that the child was to be a girl, your father was most upset because he wanted a son who would one day be king. He was also upset that he had to be reminded about the loss of your older brother, Prince Forest, who was a war casualty before you were born._

_Although your mother longed to leave when your father started showing her cruelty for not bearing another son, she couldn't go because she was the one who did the actual ruling._

_Briar always talked about going to Enchanted Forest to seek refuge or maybe_ _even asylum in the castle of Prince Charming and his wife, Snow White, although she vowed to stay out of Avonlea because that realm is now in an area called The Badlands. When Briar wasn't seeing to official matters, we'd spend our time exploring the countryside, befriending the commoners, and with the help of a local midwife, Briar eventually gave birth in a quiet village at dawn by a river. You have a little sister named River Dawn._

_Just after your sister turned two, a very curious but sinister creature appeared in the palace. You may think me to be insane, but this creature was a shadow disembodied from its owner, Peter Pan, a cruel ruler of another place - Neverland. It informed us that he'd ordered by Pan to look for a child to bring back to Neverland. River was exactly what he needed, and he took her against her will. We haven't seen her since._

_Your father never got over the fact that River wasn't born a boy, and when the abduction made Briar sick with grief and sent her to an early grave because she believed that she had outlived all of her children, your father turned into a bitter man. He just stopped caring about everything and let the kingdom fall into its current state of disrepair. No matter what you think, none of it is your fault._

_I have always believed that sweet River Dawn is alive in Neverland, and you are young and strong… perhaps after your child has been born, you and Lavinia and Mulan can rescue River and be a family. For the record - your mother would want you to know your sister, and she would have loved Lavinia and Mulan._

_Speaking of the warrior, the second you two are reunited, do not be afraid to tell her how you feel because she sounds like your True Love. She will more than likely return your feelings in kind._

_Follow your heart, my brave Aurora, and take care of your child and yourself._

_All of my love,_

_Clara.'_

Aurora read the letter twice, slowly realizing that its words had just destroyed everything she ever knew and believed about her way of life as a princess, what her parents had really been like and the secrets they'd kept from her, chiefly in the forms of Forest, who was dead, and River Dawn, who had been abducted.

What in the world was she to do?

On one hand, Forest had been dead for years, meaning that there was no brining him back, but River Dawn... she had been whisked off to Neverland and was presumably still there. All Aurora about Neverland was the name of its ruler, and the general rule of nature over there - there were no adults, and time stood still, so that nothing aged and nobody grew up. Aurora wanted more than anything to find River and take her with them to Storybrooke, but she also had her little baby to think about and how she didn't want any danger to befall him or her.

"What's the matter?"

Aurora jumped when she saw that Lavinia had joined her again.

"I read Clara's letter, and I don't know what to feel, except sadness and a little bit of hope."

"How do you mean?"

Aurora found herself explaining things to her bodyguard and by the time she was done, she was in tears. Instinctively, Lavinia held the other girl in her arms and rocked her gently.

"We'll figure this out, Aurora. Some way, somehow, we will figure this all out."

The princess nodded and started to say something when Jade hurried over. "I can hear the looters outside, so it's time to blow out the candle and be still!"

Aurora quickly extinguished the candle and curled up with Lavinia and her siblings, hoping and praying that they wouldn't be found because at this point, they had everything to lose, and they hadn't even gone anywhere yet.

* * *

When Aurora woke up in the morning, she was relieved to see that no harm had fallen on them in the night. Lavinia, Abram and Evelyn were also waking up, and just when Aurora registered that Shang and Jade weren't with them, they both returned.

"We just went scouting," said Jade. "And the palace is in a worse condition than it was yesterday, so I suggest we get moving immediately."

Aurora stood. "That sounds best. Are there any horses and carriages left?"

"Indeed," Jade nodded. "But once we gather everything we require for our journey to Sherwood Forest, we should let the rest of the horses go so they can be free and not starve, pinned up in their stalls."

Aurora loved the horses very much, but she knew it was for the best, so she agreed to the idea. Once they had the horses and the carriage set up, she could barely keep her composure when she helped Shang let the rest of the horses go. Letting her precious animals run off into the wild was a sign that her childhood had come to a very abrupt and painful end.

In the carriage, as Abram and Evelyn sat with their noses pressed against the window while Jade and Shang steered the horses, Lavinia did her best to comfort Aurora even though they both knew that Aurora wouldn't be anywhere close to okay until she was back with Mulan.

* * *

Jade hadn't been lying when she said she knew a shortcut to Sherwood Forest, but she had neglected to mention that they weren't going to reach it until dusk, just as she, Abram and Evelyn were getting hungry. When Aurora felt like she was going to lose her mind, the carriage came to a stop and Lavinia, who had been walking with her sister and Shang for the last few hours, came around to open the door.

Happy to be free of the carriage, Abram helped Evelyn out before Lavinia could even get close to the contraption. When she helped Aurora out of it, the princess had to take a moment to regain her balance, but when she had her even footing, she made her way to Jade, who had already dismounted her horse and was walking a little further down the path.

Jade nodded ahead of them towards a path going along the edge of the forest. "This is Sherwood Forest, and the village where we spotted your Mulan and Robin Hood and the Merry Men is down that way."

"Then why have we stopped? Every minute we delay is another moment that she gets further away."

"Look around you - night is coming, and any forest at nighttime is a dangerous place to be. I do not want to make any unnecessary risks, not with you being with child and having my whole family here. You are the queen now, aren't you?"

That hadn't occurred to Aurora before, and it left her feeling dazed. "Yes, I suppose I am..."

"Then as one of your subjects who likes you and respects you, I will help Lavinia protect you and your child for as long as we are all together because that is a subject's duty, isn't it?"

"That's what I was always taught when I was younger, although my mother always made sure to make me remember that showing kindness and love is just as important."

Jade smiled slightly at this, fighting to remain serious. "Lavinia, Abram and Evelyn are all I have left in the way of my blood relatives, and I promised my mother and father that I'd protect them... even if that means not venturing into a dark forest at night."

Aurora had to admire the protective streak that Jade had because it rivaled her own. Jade's loyalty was also as strong as Lavinia's.

"Alright, that is acceptable. Can we at least make a fire and eat? I'm quite hungry and just a little bit ago, Abram and Evelyn were saying that they were, too."

Jade glanced at her youngest siblings who were both watching from a small distance as Shang and Lavinia started going through the supplies.

"We will do just that. Will you collect firewood?"

Aurora did as she was told, although at one point, a sound just beyond the line of sight from camp caught her attention. It sounded like someone was moving around back there and having a poor time of it. Curiosity getting the better of her, she made fir the sound but was prevented from going further when she felt a hand in her arm. It was Lavinia, and she was holding a lit lantern aloft.

"And just what kind of bodyguard would I be if I let you wander into the woods at night?"

"A very dead one," Aurora answered with a straight face. "Because I already know that Jade is just as loyal as you are, and would be extremely upset with whoever is responsible for my safety if I got hurt at all."

Lavinia just laughed and shook her head, leading the way into the forest. Both girls were attentive, listening for the sound again, and after going a little bit further into the trees, they heard it again, and Lavinia put her hand out in front of Aurora.

"I heard the noise again. Someone's out there." She handed the lantern to Aurora. "Hold this."

Aurora took the lantern. "I'm glad you don't think me to be delusional..."

Lavinia rolled her eyes and crept forward with her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Who's there?" She called out.

"Please don't hurt me!" A female voice responded. "I'm injured, and I just need help!"

Aurora's heart turned over. She knew that voice, as delicate and vulnerable as it was right now.

"Mulan, it's alright!" She called out. "You're safe now!"

More rustling, and then she stepped out of the foliage. Aurora went from overjoyed to distressed at the sight of her. Gone was the warrior's usual tidiness and kept appearance. Mulan looked extremely disheveled, her armor and boots were gone, so she was down to her tunic and pants. As she walked towards the lamplight, Aurora let out a gasp because Mulan's face was covered in bruises and she even had a split lip. The way Mulan was walking told Aurora that she was covered in bruises underneath her clothes.

The look on her face, however, was one of shock and joy.

"Aurora, is that really you?"

"Yes!" she wiped at her eyes as tears formed in them. "I came looking for you!"

Aurora set her lantern on the ground and hugged Mulan gingerly, not wanting to upset the injuries further, but she almost melted when Mulan hugged her back.

"What happened to you?" Aurora touched a gentle hand to Mulan's cheek. "Who did this?"

"I was mugged by rogue bandits. They took everything I had, even my shoes. I - what are you doing?"

Aurora was kneeling on the ground, taking off her own shoes and putting them on Mulan's feet. When she stood, she held one hand in the small of her back and the other on the underside of her belly, supporting it.

"None of that, now." Aurora scolded in a motherly tone. "I came looking for you because I need to talk to you, but you're suffering. The least I can do is give you my shoes to wear while we go back to camp and get you cleaned up."

"But what about _your_ feet?"

"I'll be fine, and if something happens, Lavinia will help."

"Who is that?"

The girl in question picked up the lantern and introduced herself. When Aurora saw that Mulan was measuring Lavinia up and vice versa, she cringed and quickly got them moving towards the campsite because the last thing she needed was for beloved and her bodyguard to get into a fight about who of the two of them was better at protecting her, or something.

When they got to the campsite, Lavinia went off to join the others by the fire, but Mulan pulled Aurora aside.

"Please be honest with me, Aurora - did you look for me because I walked away?"

"Yes, and it's taken this long to get the courage _to_ come find you. On that day when you came back, you were going to say something really important, weren't you?"

Mulan gave a mute nod, suddenly nervous.

"What was it?"

The warrior looked around quickly. "Where's Phillip? Did he not join you and Lavinia?"

"No." Aurora answered softly. "He and I parted ways. We are no longer together."

"What about your child?"

"She will have me, but not Phillip, although it's for the best. We fell out of love and neither of us regrets it."

Aurora pulled Mulan a little closer to her and held the warrior's hand against her firm pregnant bulge. Even though there was no movement to be felt on the outside from the child just yet, a delighted grin crept over Mulan's face because she had literally been dreaming of the moment when she'd be able to touch her beloved like this. Mulan's free hand even found its way to the small of Aurora's back, supporting it. The whole experience gave Mulan such butterflies that she couldn't talk, but her grin grew to match Aurora's when she reached over and caressed her face gently.

"I promise that we can talk about it, but right now, I just want you to know how glad I am to see you and to know that I'm not imagining you."

Before Mulan could respond, Shang joined them and for the first time since meeting him, Aurora saw an expression on the man's face she'd never seen there - happiness. Judging from the near horrified look on Mulan's face, she and Shang clearly knew each other. Quite well.

It made Aurora want to stand between the two, so she could protect Mulan from getting even more damaged and upset.

"Move aside, Aurora." growled Mulan, not taking her eyes off Shang. "I don't want to hurt you."

Aurora quickly moved to the side as Lavinia and Jade both hurried over, prepared to protect the princess or intervene, whichever came first.

At any rate, both sisters put themselves between Aurora and the other two, although Aurora still had a clear view of the scene, especially when Mulan curled her fingers up into a fist and brought it with a hard blow against Shang's jaw.

"YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE _DEAD!" _


	7. At Last

An extremely tense quiet followed Mulan's outburst, mostly because nobody knew how to respond.

Still a mixture of spooked and livid, Mulan continued to stare Shang down, ready to slug him again if she had to, while the man himself assumed a fighting posture, ready to block any of Mulan's attacks. Near the campfire, Abram was unsure of who to root for, so he just held right to little Evelyn, who was trying to escape. Aurora, meanwhile, skirted around Lavinia and Jade so she could approach Mulan and Shang to address them properly.

"One of you had better start explaining yourselves right now!"

Mulan relented and turned to her. "This man here is my husband!"

_"Excuse me?"_

"He's my husband," she repeated. "Who can't accept that I bore him a daughter and not a son!"

"You have a daughter? Mulan, how old are you?"

The warrior ignored that. "I gave up everything after my daughter vanished and now I can never go back home because I brought shame to my whole family, even my ancestors! Even if I could go back home, I don't want to anymore!"

Aurora could clearly see that as injured as Mulan was, she was now feeling literally every emotion in one go, so she wisely handed over the lantern when Mulan reached for it and then moved out of the other girl's way when she dragged Shang away into the forest, already yelling at him in what Aurora assumed to be their native language.

The silence following hrs newest turn of events was just plain awkward this time around, but everyone quickly started assisting Lavinia and Jade in making a meal. Aurora returned to collecting firewood, but she stayed within sight of the camp and avoided the direction from which the sounds of the married couple's heated fight was happening.

Aurora consoled herself with the fact that she couldn't understand what they were saying, otherwise she would been more concerned.

* * *

"How dare you arrive like nothing happened?" Mulan demanded. "No matter what you say or do tonight, I am not returning to China with you now or ever!"

Shang regarded his wife with a look of near disgust, now that they were alone. "And how dare _you_ leave my parents' home to begin with? Your place as a woman is either staying behind to tend to the home and children, or else going out to harvest rice, but I should think that after I rescued you from that life of poverty, you'd rather be at home!"

"First of all, I was born into to that life, so that was beyond my control and second, you didn't rescue me at all because it was an _arranged_ marriage!"

"When the other soldiers informed me that you had been masquerading as a man, they realized quickly that you're my wife and once they made that connection, I was banished from the army! _Me, _and I was the captain of China's greatest troops! This is all _your_ fault and nobody else's!"

"How in the world did you survive? I saw you fall when Shan Yu struck your side with his blade! I thought you died, and now I don't even have the honor of being a captain's widow!"

"It matters not how I survived, but how I traveled all the way across the Great Sea to look for you and bring you home, only to discover that that girl-child in the purple dress, cape and tiara was already looking for you. She didn't tell me why, although it's plain to see that she has romantic feelings for you, which is highly improper."

"Don't ever call Aurora a girl-child again! She may be a little younger than me, but she is wiser and stronger than she seems at first appearance!" Mulan shot back. "And I have never loved you, Shang, not once. I only went along with it because it was arranged and because the dowry that my family received brought my parents and my grandmother out of their poverty, which you seem to be conveniently forgetting! Even on our wedding day, as grand as it was, the entitlements that come with being the wife of a war general didn't appeal to me and they still don't!"

"Please tell me you're still not hung up on Mushu and Ping..."

"Leave my friends out of this!"

Mulan saddened on the inside at the mention of her two childhood friends whose marriage proposals she'd turned down because she'd already known that she would never feel truly comfortable in laying with a man.

"Do you even know why I came looking for you? Lin-Lin was taken away by the Yīnyǐng!"

"Do not speak of the shadow demon!"

"But that's who took her, and I saw it happen with my own two eyes! As long as I live now, I will _never_ be able to forget the sounds of Lin-Lin's terrified screams, and she was only _two!"_

Shang was officially at a loss for words now because for as long as he'd known Mulan, he'd never seen her so vulnerable and maternal at the same time. He quickly took a step back as she advanced on him.

"I know you were upset that Lin-Lin wasn't born a boy, but right now I still need help in traveling to the Yīnyǐng's home realm! And you are Lin-Lin's father, so it's your duty to protect your child, but where were you? Running off to fight in the army the _second_ the opportunity arose!"

"I didn't have a choice about that because the Huns had invaded China, and when our country is under threat, I am bound by not only honor, but _duty_ to serve the Emperor and fight to victory or death, Mulan. All else, even family, becomes a secondary thing. Nobody is fond of that aspect, but that's the way of life back home, and you know it!"

"If you didn't resent Lin-Lin as much as you do, would you help me find her?"

Shang didn't answer.

"I told you that I've never loved you, but now I need to know for myself: do _you_ love _me,_ or did you also go along with the marriage because it was arranged? Did you just come after me to try to preserve what little shreds of honor we have left?"

"No to the first two parts, yes to the last one."

"I made it quite clear that I can't even go home if I wanted to, so why are you still here?"

"Even though there's nothing between us, I cannot get you out of my head."

"Well, you're going to have to make an effort because you've proven to me tonight that you have no place in Lin-Lin's life anymore."

"Then where are going to go? Who is going to provide for you? The girl-child?"

Mulan felt one of her eyes twitch. "I told you not to call her that, but if you must know, I will go with Aurora wherever she goes because my heart and future belong with her and her child, and Lin-Lin, when we find her. Everything I've done has been because I am a mother who misses her child, but you are a coward of a man. Go back and gather your supplies if you like, but I want you _gone."_

Surprisingly, Shang agreed and didn't protest further. He returned with his now ex-wife to the campsite and was gone into the night with his things in less than five minutes without a word to anyone.

The second he had melted into the night, Mulan promptly turned around and climbed into Aurora's carriage to just sit down and cry.

Seizing her opportunity to be alone with Mulan, Aurora followed her and made sure the door was closed securely behind her before sitting next to Mulan and kissing her square on the lips in one swift motion. When they pulled apart, both girls had tears of joy and relief in their eyes, delighted that they no longer had to hold their feelings back.

Aurora cupped Mulan's face in her hands and kissed her again.

"I love you, Mulan. You're my best friend and the only person I could myself and my child with from now until forever ends. I cannot live without you."

The raven-haired girl almost turned to mush on inside, but maintained her composure. "I love you, too, and I can't imagine the rest of my life without you and your child now. This is what I was going to tell you that day at the palace, but you beat me with the announcement of your child and I couldn't really say anything after that, could I?"

"Then did you really join Robin Hood's band?"

"Yes, because he had invited me to, but the whole time I was with them, I could only think about how I should've gone back and told you my feelings, anyway."

"Really? All of that is true?"

"Every last word."

Unable to get enough of the feeling of Aurora's incredibly soft and beautiful skin, Mulan held Aurora's fingers up to her lips and kissed them gently.

"It wasn't until a few days ago that I left Robin Hood and his Merry Men so I could come back to look for you and tell you everything."

Aurora's heart was doing flip-flops now. "So you came back for me, just as I have for you?"

"Indeed. I believe that you and I were meant to be."

"As do I, and here we are, but what now? Where do we go from here?"

"We will talk about it in the morning."

Mulan just nodded as the gravity of the situation weighed down on her even more, causing her to cry more, which in turn caused the girl to turn red in embarrassment. She wasn't used to crying in front of anyone.

"It's alright." Aurora soothed, wiping Mulan's tears for her. "I have no idea what was said between you and Shang back there, but I can see that you're hurting even more than before. Crying is a perfectly good and healthy way to get everything out; Gods only know I've done my fair share of it in the past few days."

In spite of herself, Mulan's curiosity was piqued. "Why's that?"

"We will talk about it in the morning, just as I said. You must be tired right now."

"I am..."

"Then lay your head on my lap, and I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."

Mulan didn't need telling twice, and did as she was told, falling asleep to Aurora stroking her hair softly as started spinning tales of a better life yet to come.


	8. Existentialism On Prom Night

**I'm thrilled that so many of you like the story :) however, I've noticed that there haven't been any reviewing activity since October. I'm glad for the subscriptions and favorites, but I'd also appreciate some verbal feedback, too :P I have plans for this story, but if nobody's that interested, I'll delete it.**

* * *

The following morning, the first thing Aurora did was provide Mulan with the clean outfit and new shoes she'd taken from the palace, and then once she promised Lavinia and Jade that she'd be fine without them, the queen and her warrior went for a stroll down the path.

Mulan told Aurora everything about her daughter, the fight with Shang and how she was now free from her loveless marriage, but by the time she got to the part about how she'd just been a housewife back in China before leaving to go after Shang, she broke down into tears. Aurora's heart ached to see Mulan like that, so she ended up holding her and soothing her as she told her about Clara's letter, including the parts about Forest and River Dawn.

As Aurora had suspected, the subject of leaving the kingdom upset Mulan, who immediately wanted to fight against the peasants to restore order, but she relented when she learned about the assassination attempt and the massacre.

* * *

"Alright, then. If we are leaving your kingdom and Avonlea, the ruins of the Enchanted Forest and even our Safe Haven, then where shall we go next? Neverland?"

"That seems the best course of action, and I know that the others will follow us because I promised all of them a better life than what we all currently have."

"But you don't know how to get to Neverland, do you?"

"Unfortunately not. The only person we know who more than likely knows how to do that is Hook, and we haven't seen him in quite some time." Aurora tried not to cry. "I never got a chance to meet Forest and he's dead now, but I believe that River Dawn is alive and in Neverland with Lin-Lin. It may take awhile, but one day, I'll have River in my arms, just as you'll have Lin-Lin back in yours to hold and kiss."

"Add your child and Lavinia and all of her siblings, and all of us will be like a family."

Aurora lifted Mulan's fingers to her lips and kissed them gently. "We already _are_ a family, even if all of us aren't here yet."

"I like the sound of that."

The two continued to hold hands as they walked down the path together.  
"I know you aren't very far along in your pregnancy yet," Mulan said suddenly. "But have you thought of any names for your baby yet?"

Aurora caressed her belly and smiled. "None have come to mind yet, but I'm hoping to pick names that stand for strength, courage and hope."

"Like Emma and Snow..."

"Precisely." Aurora stopped walking and held both of Mulan's hands in her own again. "Before you and I were reunited, Lavinia and I decided that Storybrooke is going to be our endgame because we'll all have a chance to start over there. Storybrooke is the endgame, no matter what."

"What about me?"

"The decision was made when Shang was traveling with us and he didn't tell us why he was looking for you, but I decided not to tell him because I was worried that he'd make you go back to China with him, and I just can't bear the thought of a future without you."

"I had zero intentions of going back with him. I would've fought him in a duel, or something."

Aurora was flattered. "The offer still stands for you to come to Storybrooke, too."

"Our hearts are bound together until the end of time now; I will go anywhere with you, so long as it means that after we get the children back that it means none of us are ever separated again."

The two lovers walked hand-in-hand back to camp whereupon everybody got packed up and they headed out for the nearest bit of civilization - a sleepy little fishing village. It took well over a day to reach.

* * *

Meanwhile, Emma Swan was on the top deck of the Jolly Roger, thinking about an argument she'd won almost two nights ago.

_"Emma, be reasonable." Snow told her. "Pan, and even his creepy crony Felix have both been vanquished, and we're even taking the Lost Boys back to Storybrooke because they want families and have no desire to be left behind. What good would a detour do now?"_

_"You and David always find each other whenever you get separated, Henry found me in Boston, I found Neal in New York and even Belle found Mister Gold in Storybrooke. Henry is finally safe with on the Jolly Roger because all three of us, plus Regina and Mister Gold went looking for him. We also got Neal back, and we ended up getting Hook, Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys in the process, too. That's great and all, but there are at least two more people that are still missing from our family unit."_

_Feeling properly left out, David spoke up. "Who exactly are you talking about, Emma?"_

_"She's talking about Princess Aurora and Mulan, a warrior who is clearly crazy about her." Snow told him. "They helped us out the last time we were here, but we haven't seen them since they ran off to rescue Prince Phillip from his sleeping curse. I wonder if they made it..."_

_"Oh, they did." Neal supplied from his perch on a nearby flight of stairs. "All three of them rescued me when I fell through the portal after Tamara shot me. They travel in a pack."_

_"Do you have any idea where they could be?"_

_"No. I lost track of them after I went to Neverland to find Emma and Henry."_

_"I don't know, either." Emma admitted. "All I can think of is the Safe Haven where they brought us, which is where we ran into Cora... and Hook."_

_"Did someone say my name?"_

_Everybody looked up at the pirate where he stood at the wheel with Tinkerbell, who never strayed far from him these days._

_"Yes, as a matter of fact. Change course for the Enchanted Forest."_

_Hook looked ready to protest, but when Tinkerbell narrowed her eyes dangerously at him, he said nothing and began the process of turning the ship around._

_When Emma turned back around, she saw both of her parents, Neal and now Regina and Mister Gold all staring at her, waiting for a proper explanation._

_"What?" Emma put her hands on her hips and stared right back at them. "No matter what way we look at it, everybody on this boat is part of one great big family that originated in the Enchanted Forest, and Aurora and Mulan somehow worked their way in, too... even if they both spent a lot of time tackling Mary Margaret and me. Phillip counts by default because he's Aurora's fiancé."_

_"And let me guess," Regina added, rolling her eyes. "You just wouldn't feel right if we left them here."_

_"Exactly."_

_Gold finally spoke up. "Has it occurred to you, dearie, that they all might want to stay in this world because it's what they know?"_

_"Of course, but we'll never know unless we give them a chance. We're going back for them, even if it turns out to be for nothing, because they're our family, too, and none of us ever give up on each other, no matter what. Plus, no matter how bad things get, we always find each other... even if the other people don't know they're missing."_

_Nobody dared argue with Emma after that. _

* * *

Now it was nightfall and the Jolly Roger was laying anchor in a small sleepy seaside fishing village.

Because their company was far too large for all of them to go inquiring together, Emma disembarked first, with Hook and Tinkerbell, both of whom had volunteered to go with her. David insisted on tagging along because even though Tinkerbell was doing a very good job of keeping Hook's attention on her, the prince continued to be leery of Hook whenever he was around Emma. Promising to keep him in check, Mary Margaret also tagged along, although she had the two youngest Lost Boys - identical toddler twins Onix and Indigo - with her because they'd grown very attached to her and refused to let her out of their sight.

The unlikely party stuck close together as they wandered the streets, looking for some kind of shelter where they could start asking questions. Their search was turning up empty, and as Emma tried to think of something to say to keep everyone motivated, Onix tugged on her jacket and lifted up his arms, wanting to be held because he was tired of walking.

"Come on, big guy." Emma picked him up and sat him on her hip. "You can stick with me."

Onix grinned and rested his head on Emma's shoulder. For a minute, Emma wished that she and Neal could have another baby, just so she would be able to have a moment like this, to make up for missing out on it with Henry.

Leave it to Mary Margaret to ruin the moment.

"I don't know, Emma." She adjusted her hold on Indigo when he almost slid off her hip. "Maybe we should go back to the ship and try again in the morning. Onix and Indigo are getting tired."

"You and David are more than welcome to go back with them to the ship."

"Hey!" David protested.

"I, for one," Hook interrupted. "Will keep pressing on; even if the Jolly Roger _is_ mine, I've spent far too much time aboard her as of late."

Tinkerbell rounded things out. "I was literally born an explorer, so I'm always ready for an adventure. If Killian continues on, then so do I."

Hook suddenly spotted a lit tavern just down the cobblestoned lane from them. "Judging from the size of that place over there, I'd say I found the tavern. I don't know about the rest of you, but I could really do with a drink."

"There are children here!" Snow reminded him.

"Your issue not mine, your majesty."

Hook shrugged and turned, extending an arm to Tinkerbell.

"Fancy a drink, love?"

She looped her arm around his. "Yes, actually. Let's go."

Although creeped out by the display of affection between the two, Emma had no real choice but to follow them.

And so she did.


End file.
